In many different industries, there is a significant reliance on the use of heavy equipment to drive operations. In the manufacturing sector, heavy equipment plays a key role in ensuring that production is optimized and that unit costs remain as low as possible.
In this setting, the downtime of heavy equipment must be kept to minimal levels so that time and money are not wasted. In such situations, manufacturing firms are increasingly reliant on tech such as predictive analytics software.
This allows companies to accurately predict when heavy machinery needs to be serviced or have parts replaced and helps to plan when downtime will occur.
Heavy equipment is also a crucial part of the construction industry, and this is the focus of the following article. Many construction firms rely on a wide range of heavy equipment and vehicles that allow them to undertake all parts of the construction process at high levels of speed and efficiency.
This heavy equipment is typically expensive to buy or rent and needs to be fully operational for extended periods to ensure that construction project timelines can be adhered to.
Construction managers need to adopt the best practices of fleet management for this equipment and look for unique strategies that allow firms to make the most of their vehicles and equipment.
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Knowing When To Rent And When To Buy
A primary consideration when thinking about your construction firm’s fleet of heavy equipment and machinery is knowing when to rent and when to buy. There are a range of factors that will influence this decision.
For example, the size of your construction firm and the level of revenue that it receives will have a key impact on your choices. Smaller construction firms will typically not have access to the reserves of capital to afford to buy heavy machinery outright. In addition, the maintenance costs of a fleet of heavy machinery can be one of the biggest ongoing capital investments.
It is little surprise that many smaller firms choose to hire essential equipment for smaller projects and contracts. Hiring equipment negates the need to have rolling maintenance schedules for the fleet and ensures that smaller construction firms can only pay for equipment when they need it.
However, as a construction firm grows in terms of its size and the scope of projects that it undertakes, the need to own heavy equipment becomes more relevant. Larger firms will have bigger budgets for such equipment and will be undertaking a larger range of projects that require the ongoing use of heavy machinery and vehicles.
In such circumstances, it is important to source equipment from an experienced and reputable industrial equipment supplier. Ideally, these firms will be able to source equipment directly from manufacturers and have it shipped to their construction site or business headquarters.
In addition, such suppliers should be able to offer comprehensive service and maintenance packages that support the continued and effective use of the heavy equipment throughout its operational life.
In short, it is vital to partner with reputable and reliable suppliers when seeking to purchase heavy equipment outright to ensure that you get the best price and that the machinery is effective for the longest possible lifetime.
When Working Across Multiple Sites
Many medium and large construction companies will need to work at multiple sites concurrently. It is common for such firms to undertake a range of construction projects at different locations, especially as their firm grows and they employ a larger number of staff.
This poses key challenges for fleet management. Most notably, there is a need to ensure that key items of heavy machinery and equipment are tracked by project managers and other support staff.
Heavy equipment and vehicles can be fitted with tracking devices that link to asset management software platforms, giving a continuous update of their location. This saves time when moving equipment from site to site and allows for the effective planning and allocation of heavy equipment to ensure that it is always where it is needed.
Incorporating Safety Into Fleet Management
As a brief final point, it is vitally important to incorporate safety into all aspects of heavy equipment fleet management. All heavy machinery operators should receive comprehensive training in the use of such equipment and vehicles.
This can play a key role in ensuring that the equipment is used to the highest levels of efficiency and that on-site accidents and injuries remain at the lowest possible levels.
In addition, construction managers should ensure that heavy machinery operators have access to suitable safety equipment and clothing that protects them when using the equipment.
